Boy Scout
Advancement
Requirements Changes

Effective January 1, 2014
(with updates announced through June 28, 2014)

When there is a conflict between two published lists of requirements,
such as Boy Scout Requirements (BSA Publication
No. 33216) and a Merit Badge pamphlet or the Boy Scout Handbook,
the requirements book should normally be considered to be the controlling
document, until a newer edition of Boy Scout Requirements
is issued. However, the following excerpt from the Guide to
Advancement, 2013 explains what to do when merit badge requirements
change:

7.0.4.3 What to Do When Requirements Change

The current annual edition of Boy Scout Requirements lists
the official merit badge requirements. Once new or revised merit badge
requirements appear in this publication, which is released each January,
any Scout just beginning work on a merit badge must use the requirements
as stated there.

If changes to merit badge requirements are introduced in
a revised merit badge pamphlet after the January release of the
Boy Scout Requirements book, then the Scout has until the following
January 1 to decide what to do. He may continue—or begin work—using
the old merit badge requirements and the old pamphlet; or he may switch
to—or begin work—using the new requirements and the new pamphlet. Unless
it is otherwise stated in the merit badge pamphlet, Boy Scout Requirements,
or official communications from the National Council, if a Scout chooses
to use the old merit badge requirements and pamphlet, he may continue
using them until he has completed the badge.

There is no time limit between starting and completing a
badge, although a counselor may determine so much time has passed since
any effort took place that the new requirements must be used.

A new edition of Boy Scout Requirements ( #33216
- SKU#619576) was released in February, 2014. It contains changes to the
Eagle Scout rank and the requirements for 5 new merit badges. Of those
5 badges, 3 were released in 2013, 1 will replace an older badge which is
being discontinued, and 1 is just a change in name and some minor requirements
changes. The book also contains changes to the requirements for 31
other merit badges, including one badge not identified in the list of changes.
Furthermore, it contains the requirements for a new "Special Opportunity"
badge, an existing award that was not in previous editions, and a change
to one set of awards, as listed below. Finally, the "Merit Badge Library"
listing on the inside back cover, lists over 40 merit badge pamphlets with
revision dates of 2013 or 2014, and a few with earlier revision dates which
are after those listed in the 2013 edition. Some of those may contain
further changes when they are issued. If so, we will identify them
at that time.

Minor changes to the Star and Life ranks, caused by the changes to the
requirements for Eagle Scout, which should have been included ,were inadvertently
omitted from the booklet. In addition, changes to one merit badge (Personal
Fitness) were made in 2013, but were also not included in the booklet.
Of the merit badges with changes that are in the booklet, 14 have changes
which were previously announced at various times in 2013.

On July 11, 2013, BSA released a new edition of theGuide
to Advancement, BSA Publication 33088 (SKU 618673), which
replaced the 2011 edition, which had superseded the former publication 33088
which was entitled Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures.
The Guide to Advancement - 2013 is the official
Boy Scouts of America source on advancement procedures.

Click here for a list of all of the
merit badge pamphlets, which identifies the most recent edition of each,
whether the old pamphlet can still be used, and when the requirements were
last revised.

In addition to the new merit badges listed below, BSA has announced plans
to release a few more in the coming years, including Animation, Signs Signals and Codes,
Exploring, Multi-Media, Computer Aided Design, and Advanced Computing.

The list of changes in the 2014 edition of Boy
Scout Requirements contains this note on the inside front
cover:

*During 2014, a Scout may continue—or begin work—using the
old Cooking or Computers merit badge requirements and the old pamphlets.
Otherwise, he may switch to—or begin work—using the new requirements
as stated in the 2014 Boy Scout Requirements book for Cooking or Digital
Technology (which replaces Computers) and the new merit badge
pamphlets. If a Scout chooses to use the old merit badge requirements
and pamphlets, he may continue using them until he has completed the
badges. See Guide to Advancement topic 7.0.4.3.

Changes were made to requirements
3 & 4, and the footnote to requirement 3. Cooking
and Sustainability were added to the list in requirement 3, and a statement
about the position of responsibility requirement for Lone Scouts was added
to requirement 4 (to incorporate the wording already on the application
form). There is a typo in the footnote. The second
change shown below was inadvertently omitted. The new wording reads (or SHOULD read) as follows:

Earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than you
already have), including the following:

Lone Scout. Leadership responsibility in his
school, religious organization, club, or elsewhere in his community.

* You must choose only one merit badge listed in items
(g) and (j)(h), (i), and
(k). If you have earned more than one of the badges listed in
items (g) and (j)(h), (i),
and (k), choose one and list the remaining badges to make your
total of 21. Note: The 2014 Boy Scout Requirements Booklet
has a typo in the footnote. The second change shown above was inadvertently
omitted.

This is a NEW Merit Badge that was introduced on
March 6, 2013, the official "Earn Date", when Scouts had authorization to
begin earning the badge.

The requirements are as follows:

Do the following:

Analyze four games you have played, each from a different
medium. Identify the medium, player format, objectives, rules,
resources, and theme (if relevant). Discuss with your counselor
the play experience, what you enjoy in each game, and what you
dislike. Make a chart to compare and contrast the games.

Describe four types of play value and provide an example
of a game built around each concept. Discuss other reasons people
play games.

Discuss with your counselor five of the following 17 game design
terms. For each term that you pick, describe how it relates to a
specific game.

Thematic game elements:

story,

setting,

characters

Gameplay elements:

play sequence,

level design,

interface design

Game analysis:

difficulty,

balance,

depth,

pace,

replay value,

age appropriateness

Related terms:

single-player vs. multiplayer,

cooperative vs. competitive,

turn-based vs. real-time,

strategy vs. reflex vs. chance,

abstract vs. thematic

Define the term intellectual property. Describe the
types of intellectual property associated with the game design industry.
Describe how intellectual property is protected and why protection
is necessary. Define and give an example of a licensed property.

Do the following:

Pick a game where the players can change the rules or objectives
(examples: basketball, hearts, chess, kickball). Briefly summarize
the standard rules and objectives and play through the game
normally.

Propose changes to several rules or objectives. Predict
how each change will affect gameplay.

Play the game with one rule or objective change, observing
how the players' actions and emotional experiences are affected
by the rule change. Repeat this process with two other changes.

Explain to your counselor how the changes affected the actions
and experience of the players. Discuss the accuracy of your
predictions.

Design a new game. Any game medium or combination of mediums
is acceptable. Record your work in a game design notebook.

Write a vision statement for your game. Identify the medium,
player format, objectives, and theme of the game. If suitable,
describe the setting, story, and characters.

Describe the play value.

Make a preliminary list of the rules of the game. Define
the resources.

Draw the game elements.

Do the following:

Prototype your game from requirement 5. If applicable, demonstrate
to your counselor that you have addressed player safety through
the rules and equipment.

You must have your merit badge counselor's approval
of your concept before you begin creating the prototype.

Test your prototype with as many other people as you need
to meet the player format. Compare the play experience to your
descriptions from requirement 5b. Correct unclear rules, holes
in the rules, dead ends, and obvious rule exploits. Change at
least one rule, mechanic, or objective from your first version
of the game, and describe why you are making the change. Play
the game again. Record whether or not your change had the expected
effect.

Repeat 6b at least two more times.

Blind test your game. Do the following:

Write an instruction sheet that includes all of the information
needed to play the game. Clearly describe how to set up the
game, play the game, and end the game. List the game objectives.

Share your prototype from requirement 6a with a group of
players that has not played it or witnessed a previous playtest.
Provide them with your instruction sheet(s) and any physical
components. Watch them play the game, but do not provide them
with instruction. Record their feedback in your game design
notebook.

Share your game design notebook with your counselor. Discuss
the player reactions to your project and what you learned about
the game design process. Based on your testing, determine what
you like most about your game and suggest one or more changes.

Do ONE of the following:

With your parent's permission and your counselor's approval,
visit with a professional in the game development industry and
ask him or her about his or her job and how it fits into the
overall development process. Alternately, meet with a professional
in game development education and discuss the skills he or she
emphasizes in the classroom.

List three career opportunities in game development. Pick
one and find out about the education, training, and experience
required for the profession. Discuss this with your counselor.
Explain why this profession might interest you.

This is a NEW Merit Badge that was introduced at
the National Jamboree on July 15, 2013, the official "Earn Date", when Scouts
had authorization to begin earning the badge.

The requirements are as follows:

Safety.
Do the following:

Show your counselor your current, up-to-date Cyber Chip.

Earn the Cyber Chip
Earning the Cyber Chip can help you learn how to stay
safe while you are online and using social networks
or the latest electronic gadgets. Topics include cell
phone use, texting, blogging, gaming, cyberbullying,
and identity theft. Find out more about the Cyber Chip
at www.scouting.org/cyberchip.

Discuss first aid and prevention for the types of injuries or
illnesses that could occur during programming activities, including
repetitive stress injuries and eyestrain.

History.
Do the following:

Give a brief history of programming, including at least
three milestones related to the advancement or development of
programming.

Describe the evolution of programming methods and how they
have improved over time.

General knowledge.
Do the following:

Create a list of 10 popular programming languages in use
today and describe which industry or industries they are primarily
used in and why.

Describe three different programmed devices you rely on
every day.

Intellectual property.
Do the following:

Explain how software patents and copyrights protect a programmer.

Describe the difference between licensing and owning software.

Describe the differences between freeware, open source,
and commercial software, and why it is important to respect
the terms of use of each.

Projects.
Do the following:

With your counselor's approval, choose a sample program.
Then, as a minimum, modify the code or add a function or subprogram
to it. Debug and demonstrate the modified program to your counselor.

The Programming merit badge website, http://www.boyslife.org/programming,
has a number of sample programs that you could use for
requirement 5a. However, you have the option of finding
a program on your own. It's a good idea to seek your
merit badge counselor's guidance.

With your counselor's approval, choose a second programming
language and development environment, different from those used
for requirement 5a and in a different industry from 5a. Then
write, debug, and demonstrate a functioning program to your
counselor, using that language and environment.

With your counselor's approval, choose a third programming
language and development environment, different from those used
for requirements 5a and 5b and in a different industry from
5a or 5b. Then write, debug, and demonstrate a functioning program
to your counselor, using that language and environment.

Explain how the programs you wrote for requirements 5a,
5b, and 5c process inputs, how they make decisions based on
those inputs, and how they provide outputs based on the decision
making.

Careers.
Find out about three career opportunities in programming. Pick one
and find out the education, training, and experience required. Discuss
this with your counselor and explain why this career might be of
interest to you.

This is a NEW Merit Badge that was introduced at
the National Jamboree on July 15, 2013,
the official "Earn Date", when Scouts had authorization to begin earning
the badge. In October, 2013, Requirement 2, WATER, A was revised as shown
below.

The requirements (including the October revision)
are as follows:

Before starting work on any other requirements for this merit
badge, write in your own words the meaning of sustainability. Explain
how you think conservation and stewardship of our natural resources
relate to sustainability. Have a family meeting, and ask family
members to write down what they think sustainability means. Be sure
to take notes. You will need this information again for requirement
5.

Do the following:

Water. Do A AND either B OR C.

Develop and implement a plan that attempts to reduce
your family's water usage. Examine your family's water bills
reflecting usage for three months (past or current).As a
family, discuss water usage. To aid in your discussion,
if past water bills are available, you may choose to examine
a few. As a family, choose three ways to help reduce consumption.
Implement those ideas for one month. Share what you learn
with your counselor, and tell how your plan affected your
family's water usage. ORSince water bills are not always accessible, any Scout
who wishes to, may use the following as an alternative to
2A above. This alternative will become the official requirement
2A upon the next reprinting of the Sustainability merit
badge pamphlet.
Develop and implement a plan that attempts to reduce your
family's water usage. As a family, discuss water usage.
To aid in your discussion, if past water bills are available,
you may choose to examine a few. As a family, choose three
ways to help reduce water consumption. Implement those ideas
for one month. share what you learn with your counselor,
and tell how you think your plan affected your family's
water usage.

Using a diagram you have created, explain to your counselor
how your household gets its clean water from a natural source
and what happens with the water after you use it. Include
water that goes down the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry
drains, and any runoff from watering the yard or washing
the car. Tell two ways to preserve your family's access
to clean water in the future.

Discuss with your counselor two areas in the world that
have been affected by drought over the last three years.
For each area, identify a water conservation practice (successful
or unsuccessful) that has been used. Tell whether the practice
was effective and why. Discuss what water conservation practice
you would have tried and why.

Food. Do A AND either B OR C.

Develop and implement a plan that attempts to reduce
your household food waste. Establish a baseline and then
track and record your results for two weeks. Report your
results to your family and counselor.

Discuss with your counselor the ways individuals, families,
and communities can create their own food sources (potted
plants, family garden, rooftop garden, neighborhood or community
garden). Tell how this plan might contribute to a more sustainable
way of life if practiced globally.

Discuss with your counselor factors that limit the availability
of food and food production in different regions of the
world. Tell three ways these factors influence the sustainability
of worldwide food supplies.

Community. Do A AND either B OR C.

Draw a rough sketch depicting how you would design a
sustainable community. Share your sketch with your counselor,
and explain how the housing, work locations, shops, schools,
and transportation systems affect energy, pollution, natural
resources, and the economy of the community.

With your parent's permission and your counselor's approval,
interview a local architect, engineer, contractor, or building
materials supplier. Find out the factors that are considered
when using sustainable materials in renovating or building
a home. Share what you learn with your counselor.

Review a current housing needs assessment for your town,
city, county, or state. Discuss with your counselor how
birth and death rates affect sufficient housing, and how
a lack of housing—or too much housing— can influence the
sustainability of a local or global area.

Energy. Do A AND either B OR C.

Learn about the sustainability of different energy sources,
including fossil fuels, solar, wind, nuclear, hydropower,
and geothermal. Find out how the production and consumption
of each of these energy sources affects the environment
and what the term "carbon footprint" means. Discuss what
you learn with your counselor, and explain how you think
your family can reduce its carbon footprint.

Develop and implement a plan that attempts to reduce
consumption for one of your family's household utilities.
Examine your family's bills for that utility reflecting
usage for three months (past or current). As a family, choose
three ways to help reduce consumption and be a better steward
of this resource. Implement those ideas for one month. Share
what you learn with your counselor, and tell how your plan
affected your family's usage.

Evaluate your family's fuel and transportation usage.
Review your family's transportation-related bills (gasoline,
diesel, electric, public transportation, etc.) reflecting
usage for three months (past or current). As a family, choose
three ways to help reduce consumption and be a better steward
of this resource. Implement those ideas for one month. Share
what you learn with your counselor, and tell how your plan
affected your family's transportation habits.

Stuff. Do A AND either B OR C.

Keep a log of the "stuff" your family purchases (excluding
food items) for two weeks. In your log, categorize each
purchase as an essential need (such as soap) or a desirable
want (such as a DVD). Share what you learn with your counselor.

Plan a project that involves the participation of your
family to identify the "stuff" your family no longer needs.
Complete your project by donating, repurposing, or recycling
these items.

Discuss with your counselor how having too much "stuff"
affects you, your family, and your community. Include the
following: the financial impact, time spent, maintenance,
health, storage, and waste. Include in your discussion the
practices that can be used to avoid accumulating too much
"stuff."

Do the following:

Explain to your counselor how the planetary life-support
systems (soil, climate, freshwater, atmospheric, nutrient, oceanic,
ecosystems, and species) support life on Earth and interact
with one another.

Tell how the harvesting or production of raw materials (by
extraction or recycling), along with distribution of the resulting
products, consumption, and disposal/repurposing, influences
current and future sustainability thinking and planning.

Explore TWO of the following categories. Have a discussion with
your family about the two you select. In your discussion, include
your observations, and best and worst practices. Share what you
learn with your counselor.

Plastic waste. Discuss the impact plastic waste has on the
environment (land, water, air). Learn about the number system
for plastic recyclables, and determine which plastics are more
commonly recycled. Find out what the trash vortex is and how
it was formed.

Electronic waste. Choose three electronic devices in your
household. Find out the average lifespan of each, what happens
to these devices once they pass their useful life, and whether
they can be recycled in whole or part. Discuss the impact of
electronic waste on the environment.

Food waste. Learn about the value of composting and how
to start a compost pile. Start a compost pile appropriate for
your living situation. Tell what can be done with the compost
when it is ready for use.

Species decline. Explain the term species (plant or animal)
decline. Discuss the human activities that contribute to species
decline, what can be done to help reverse the decline, and its
impact on a sustainable environment.

World population. Learn how the world's population affects
the sustainability of Earth. Discuss three human activities
that may contribute to putting Earth at risk, now and in the
future.

Climate change. Find a world map that shows the pattern
of temperature change for a period of at least 100 years. Share
this map with your counselor, and discuss three factors that
scientists believe affect the global weather and temperature.

Do the following:

After completing requirements 1 through 4, have a family
meeting. Discuss what your family has learned about what it
means to be a sustainable citizen. Talk about the behavioral
changes and life choices your family can make to live more sustainably.
Share what you learn with your counselor.

Discuss with your counselor how living by the Scout Oath
and Scout Law in your daily life helps promote sustainability
and good stewardship.

Learn about career opportunities in the sustainability field.
Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required.
Discuss what you have learned with your counselor and explain why
this career might interest you.

This is a NEW Merit Badge that was introduced on
February 24, 2014, the official "Earn Date", when Scouts had authorization
to begin earning the badge. The requirements are as follows:

Do the following:

Select 10 different minerals. For each one, name a product
for which the mineral is used.

Explain the role mining has in production and processing
things that are grown.

From the list of minerals you chose for 1a, determine the
countries where those minerals can be found, and discuss what
you learned with your counselor.

Obtain a map of your state or region showing major cities, highways,
rivers, and railroads. Mark the locations of five different mining
enterprises. Find out what resource is processed at each location,
and identify the mine as a surface or underground operation. Discuss
with your counselor how the resources mined at these locations are
used.

Discuss with your counselor the potential hazards a miner may
encounter at an active mine and the protective measures used by
miners. In your discussion, explain how:

Monitoring equipment warns miners of imminent danger, and
how robots are used in mine rescues.

Discuss with your counselor the dangers someone might encounter
at an abandoned mine. Include information about the "Stay out—Stay
Alive" program.

Do one of the following:

With your parent's approval and your counselor's assistance,
use the Internet to find and take a virtual tour of two types
of mines. Determine the similarities and differences between
them regarding resource exploration, mine planning and permitting,
types of equipment used, and the minerals produced. Discuss
with your counselor what you learned from your Internet-based
mine tours.

With your parent's permission and counselor's approval,
visit a mining or minerals exhibit at a museum. Find out about
the history of the museum's exhibit and the type of mining it
represents. Give three examples of how mineral resources have
influenced history.

With your parent's permission and counselor's approval,
visit an active mine.* Find out about the tasks required to
explore, plan, permit, mine, and process the resource mined
at that site. Take photographs if allowed, and request brochures
from your visit. Share photos, brochures, and what you have
learned with your counselor.

With your parent's permission and counselor's approval,
visit a mining equipment manufacturer or supplier.* Discuss
the types of equipment produced or supplied there, and in what
part of the mining process this equipment is used. Take photographs
if allowed, and request brochures from your visit. Share photos,
brochures, and what you have learned with your counselor.

Discuss with your counselor two methods used to reduce rock
in size, one of which uses a chemical process to extract a mineral.
Explain the difference between smelting and refining.

Learn about the history of a local mine, including what
is or was mined there, how the deposit was found, the mining
techniques and processes used, and how the mined resource is
or was used. Find out from a historian, community leader, or
business person how mining has affected your community. Note
any social, cultural, or economic consequences of mining in
your area. Share what you have learned with your counselor.

Do the following:

Choose a modern mining site. Find out what is being done
to help control environmental impacts. Share what you have learned
about mining and sustainability.

Explain reclamation as it is used in mining and how mine
reclamation pertains to Scouting's no-trace principles.

Discuss with your counselor what values society has about
returning the land to the benefit of wildlife and people after
mining has ended. Discuss the transformation of the BSA Summit
Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve from a mine site to its
current role.

Do one of the following:

Explore the anticipated benefits of interplanetary mining.
Learn how NASA and private investors may search for, extract,
and process minerals in outer space, and the primary reasons
for mining the moon, other planets, or near-Earth asteroids.
Find out how exploration and mineral processing in space differ
from exploration on Earth. Share what you have learned with
your counselor, and discuss the difficulties encountered in
exploring, collecting, and analyzing surface or near-surface
samples in outer space.

Identify three minerals found dissolved in seawater or found
on the ocean floor, and list three places where the ocean is
mined today. Share this information with your counselor, and
discuss the chief incentives for mining the oceans for minerals,
the reclamation necessary after mining is over, and any special
concerns when mining minerals from the ocean. Find out what
sustainability problems arise from mining the oceans. Discuss
what you learn with your counselor.

Learn what metals and minerals are recycled after their
original use has ended. List four metals and two nonmetals,
and find out how each can be recycled. Find out how recycling
affects the sustainability of natural resources and how this
idea is related to mining. Discuss what you learn with your
counselor.

With your parent's permission, use the Internet and other
resources to determine the current price of gold, copper, aluminum,
or other commodities like cement or coal, and find out the five-year
price trend for two of these. Report your findings to your counselor.

Do one of the following:

With your parent's and counselor's approval, meet with a
worker in the mining industry. Discuss the work, equipment,
and technology used in this individual's position, and learn
about a current project. Ask to see reports, drawings, and/or
maps made for the project. Find out about the educational and
professional requirements for this individual's position. Ask
how the individual's mining career began. Discuss with your
counselor what you have learned.

Find out about three career opportunities in the mining
industry. Pick one and find out the education, training, and
experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your
counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.

With your parent's permission and counselor's approval,
visit a career academy or community college to learn about educational
and training requirements for a position in the mining industry
that interests you. Find out why this position is critical to
the mining industry, and discuss what you learned with your
counselor.

This is a NEW merit badge. Although the requirements
were included in the 2014 Boy Scout Requirements booklet, Scouts could not
earn the badge until the official "Earn Date" which was April 16, 2014.
The badge is a replacement for the Computers merit badge, which will be
discontinued. However, since it is a NEW badge, with substantially different
requirements, Scouts may earn Digital Technology, even if they have already
earned Computers.

During 2014, a Scout may continue—or begin work—using
the old Computers merit badge requirements and the old pamphlet. Otherwise,
he may switch to—or begin work—using the new requirements as stated in the
2014 Boy Scout Requirements book for Digital Technology and the new merit
badge pamphlet. If a Scout chooses to use the old merit badge requirements
and pamphlet, he may continue using them until he has completed the badge.
See Guide to Advancement topic 7.0.4.3.

The requirements are as follows:

Show your counselor your current, up-to-date Cyber Chip.

Do the following:

Give a brief history of the changes in digital technology
over time. Discuss with your counselor how digital technology
in your lifetime compares with that of your parent's, grandparent's,
or other adult's lifetime.

Describe what kinds of computers or devices you imagine
might be available when you are an adult.

Do the following:

Explain to your counselor how text, sound, pictures, and
videos are digitized for storage.

Describe the difference between lossy and lossless data
compression, and give an example where each might be used.

Describe two digital devices and how they are made more
useful by their programming.

Discuss the similarities and differences between computers,
mobile devices, and gaming consoles.

Explain what a computer network is and describe the network's
purpose.

Do the following:

Explain what a program or software application or "app"
is and how it is created.

Name four software programs or mobile apps you or your family
use, and explain how each one helps you.

Describe what malware is, and explain how to protect your
digital devices and the information stored on them.

Do the following:

Describe how digital devices are connected to the Internet.

Using an Internet search engine (with your parent's permission),
find ideas about how to conduct a troop court of honor or campfire
program. Print out a copy of the ideas from at least three different
websites. Share what you found with your counselor, and explain
how you used the search engine to find this information.

Use a Web browser to connect to an HTTPS (secure) website
(with your parent's permission). Explain to your counselor how
to tell whether the site's security certificate can be trusted,
and what it means to use this kind of connection.

Do THREE of the following. For each project you complete, copy
the files to a backup device and share the finished projects with
your counselor.

Using a spreadsheet or database program, develop a food
budget for a patrol weekend campout OR create a troop roster
that includes the name, rank, patrol, and telephone number of
each Scout. Show your counselor that you can sort the roster
by each of the following categories: rank, patrol, and alphabetically
by name.

Using a word processor, write a draft letter to the parents
of your troop's Scouts, inviting them to a troop event.

Using a graphics program, design and draw a campsite plan
for your troop OR create a flier for an upcoming troop event,
incorporating text and some type of visual such as a photograph
or an illustration.

Using a presentation software program, develop a report
about a topic approved by your counselor. For your presentation,
create at least five slides, with each one incorporating text
and some type of visual such as a photograph or an illustration.

Using a digital device, take a picture of a troop activity.
Send or transfer this image to a device where it can be shared
with your counselor.

Make a digital recording of your voice, transfer the file
to a different device, and have your counselor play back the
recording.

Create a blog and use it as an online journal of your Scouting
activities, including group discussions and meetings, campouts,
and other events. Include at least five entries and two photographs
or illustrations. Share your blog with your counselor. You need
not post the blog to the Internet; however, if you choose to
go live with your blog, you must first share it with your parents
AND counselor AND get their approval.

Create a Web page for your troop, patrol, school, or place
of worship. Include at least three articles and two photographs
or illustrations. Include at least one link to a website of
interest to your audience. You need not post the page to the
Internet; however, if you decide to do so, you must first share
the Web page with your parents AND counselor AND get their approval.

Do the following:

Explain to your counselor each of these protections and
why they exist: copyright, patents, trademarks, trade secrets.

Explain when it is permissible to accept a free copy of
a program from a friend.

Discuss with your counselor an article or a news report
about a recent legal case involving an intellectual property
dispute.

Do TWO of the following:

Describe why it is important to properly dispose of digital
technology. List at least three dangerous chemicals that could
be used to create digital devices or used inside a digital device.

Explain to your counselor what is required to become a certified
recycler of digital technology hardware or devices.

Do an Internet search for an organization that collects
discarded digital technology hardware or devices for repurposing
or recycling. Find out what happens to that waste. Share with
your counselor what you found.

Visit a recycling center that disposes of digital technology
hardware or devices. Find out what happens to that waste. Share
what you learned with your counselor.

Find a battery recycling center near you and find out what
it does to recycle batteries. Share what you have learned with
your counselor about the proper methods for recycling batteries.

Do ONE of the following:

Investigate three career opportunities that involve digital
technology. Pick one and find out the education, training, and
experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your
counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.

Visit a business or an industrial facility that uses digital
technology. Describe four ways digital technology is being used
there. Share what you learned with your counselor.

Along with the release of the Digital Technology
Merit Badge, this badge is scheduled to be discontinued on January 1, 2015.

During 2014, a Scout may continue—or begin work—using
the old Computers merit badge requirements and the old pamphlet. Otherwise,
he may switch to—or begin work—using the new requirements as stated in the
2014 Boy Scout Requirements book for Digital Technology and the new merit
badge pamphlet. If a Scout chooses to use the old merit badge requirements
and pamphlet, he may continue using them until he has completed the badge.
See Guide to Advancement topic 7.0.4.3.

Since Digital Technology will be a NEW badge, with
substantially different requirements, Scouts may earn Digital Technology,
even if they have already earned Computers.

The Cinematography Merit Badge was renamed "Moviemaking"
in October, 2013. Old requirement 1a became 1 and 1b was dropped, and minor
changes were made to requirements 2a and 4, all as shown below. Other than
the minor wording changes to the requirements, this is strictly a change
in name. The same badge will be used.

Even though the BSA tracking number for this badge
was changed from 126 to 156, the requirements are so similar to those for
Cinematography, Scouts should NOT earn this badge if they have already earned
the Cinematography badge. The revisions are shown below:

Do the following:
a. Discuss and demonstrate the proper elements of a good
motion picture. In your discussion, include visual storytelling,
rhythm, the 180-axis rule, camera movement, framing and composition
of camera shots, and lens selection.b. Discuss the Cinematographer's role in the moviemaking
process.

In a three- or four-paragraph treatment, tell the story
you plan to film
produce, making sure that the treatment conveys a visual
picture.

Find out about three career opportunities in
cinematographymoviemaking.
Pick one and find out about the education, training, and experience
required for this profession. Discuss this career
with your counselor. Explain why this profession might interest
you.

Numerous changes were made to requirements 2-5, including
replacing all instances of "National Archery Association" or "NAA" with
"USA Archery". The revisions are shown below:

Do the following:

State and explain the Range Safety Rules.

Three safety rules when on the shooting line.

Three safety rules when retrieving arrows.

The four whistle commands used on a range and their
related verbal commands.

State and explain the general safety rules for archery.
Demonstrate how to safely carry arrows in your hands.

Tell about your local and state laws for owning and using
archery tackle.

Do the following:

Name and point out the parts of an arrow.

Describe three or more different types of arrows.

Name the four principle materials for making arrow shafts.

Do ONE of the following

Make a complete arrow from a bare shaft
using appropriate equipment available to you.OR

To demonstrate arrow repair, inspect
the shafts and prepare and replace at least three vanes,
one point, and one nock. You may use as many arrows as necessary
to accomplish this. The repairs can be done on wood, fiberglass,
or aluminum arrows.

Explain how to properly care for and store arrows.

Do the following:

Explain how to properly care for and storethe proper use, care, and storage of, as well
as the reasons for using tabs, arm guards, shooting gloves,
and quivers.

The importance of obedience to a range officer or other
person in charge of a range.

The difference between an end and a round.

The differences among field, target, and 3-D archery.

How the five-color National Archery Association
(NAA) or Federation Internationale de Tir à l'Arc (FITA)
target is scored.

How the National Field Archery Association (NFAA) black-and-white
field targets and blue indoor targets are scored.

The elimination system used in Olympic archery competition.

Do ONE of the following options:

Option A - Using a Recurve Bow or Longbow

Name and Point to the parts of the recurve
bow or longbow you are shooting.

Explain how to properly care for and store recurve bows
and longbows.

Show the nine10 steps of good shooting for the
recurve bow or
longbow you are shooting.

Demonstrate the proper way to string a recurve bow or
longbow.

LocateUsing
a bow square, locate and mark with dental floss,
crimp-on, or other method, the nocking point on the bowstring
of the bow you are using.

Do ONE of the following:

Using a recurve bow or
longbow and arrows with a finger release, shoot a single
round of ONE of the following BSA,
NAAUSA Archery, or
NFAA rounds:

An NFAA field round of 14 targets and make a
score of 60 points.

A BSA Scout field round of 14 targets and make
a score of 80 points.

A Junior 900 round and make a score of 180 points.

A
An FITA/NAAUSA Archery indoor*
round I and make a score of 80 points.

An NFAA indoor* round
and make a score of 50 points.

(The indoor rounds may be shot outdoors
if this is more convenient.)OR

Shooting 30 arrows in five-arrow ends at an 80-centimeter
(32-inch) five-color target at 1510 yards and using the 10 scoring
regions, make a score of 150.OR

As a member of the NAA'sUSA Archery Junior Olympic
Development Program (JOAD), qualify as a Yeoman, Junior
Bowman, and Bowman.OR

As a member of the NFAA's Junior Division, earn
a Cub or Youth 100-score Progression patch.

Option B - Using a Compound Bow

Name and point to the parts of the compound bow you
are shooting.

Explain how to properly care for and store compound
bows.

Show the nine10 steps of good shooting for the
compound bow you are shooting.

Explain why it is necessary to have the string
or cable on a compound bow replaced
at an archery shop.

Locate and mark with dental floss, crimp-on, or other
method, the nocking point on the bowstring of the bow you
are using.

Do ONE of the following:

Using a compound bow and arrows with a finger release,
shoot a single round of ONE of the following BSA,
NAAUSA Archery,
or NFAA rounds:

An NFAA field round of 14 targets and make a
score of 70 points.

A BSA Scout field round of 14 targets and make
a score of 90 points.

A Junior 900 round and make a score of 200 points.

A
An FITA/NAAUSA Archery indoor*
round I and make a score of 90 points.

An NFAA indoor* round
and make a score of 60 points.

(The indoor rounds may be shot outdoors
if this is more convenient.)OR

Shooting 30 arrows in five-arrow
ends at an 80-centimeter (32-inch) five-color
target at 15 yards and using the 10 scoring regions,
make a minimum score of 160.
Accomplish this in the following manner:
Shoot 15 arrows in five-arrow ends, at a distance of
10 yards
AND
Shoot 15 arrows in five-arrow ends, at a distance of
15 yards.
OR

As a member of the NAA'sUSA Archery Junior Olympic
Development Program (JOAD), qualify as a Yeoman, Junior
Bowman, and Bowman.OR

As a member of the NFAA's Junior Division, earn
a Cub or Youth 100-score Progression patch.

New requirements 1-3 were added. Old requirements
1 & 2 were revised and rearranged and became requirement 5, and requirements
3, 4, and 5 were renumbered as 4, 6, and 7. The revisions are shown below:

Discuss the following with your counselor:

What art is and what some of the different
forms of art are

The importance of art to humankind

What art means to you and how art can
make you feel

Tell a story with a picture or pictures or using
a 3-D rendering.

Discuss with your counselor the following
terms and elements of art: line, value, shape, form, space, color,
and texture. Show examples of each element.Do ONE of the following.

Design something useful. Make a sketch
or model of your design and get your counselor's approval before
you proceed. Then create a promotional piece for the item using
a picture or pictures.

4. With your parent's permission and
your counselor's approval, visit a museum, art exhibit, art gallery,
artists' co-op, or artist's workshop. Find out about the art displayed
or created there. Discuss what you learn with your counselor.

5. Find out about three career opportunities
in art. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience
required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor,
and explain why this profession might interest you.

The requirements were rewritten, and the badge was
added to the list of badges required for the rank of Eagle Scout.

During 2014, a Scout may continue—or begin work—using
the old Cooking merit badge requirements (Click here) and the old pamphlet.
Otherwise, he may switch to—or begin work—using the new requirements as
stated in the 2014 Boy Scout Requirements book for Cooking (below), and
the new merit badge pamphlet. If a Scout chooses to use the old merit badge
requirements and pamphlet, he may continue using them until he has completed
the badge. See Guide to Advancement topic 7.0.4.3.

The new requirements are shown below.

Note: The meals prepared for Cooking merit badge requirements 5,
6, and 7 will count only toward fulfilling those requirements and will
not count toward rank advancement. Meals prepared for rank advancement
may not count toward the Cooking merit badge. You must not repeat any
menus for meals actually prepared or cooked in requirements 5, 6, and
7.

Do the following:

Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may
encounter while participating in cooking activities and what
you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond
to these hazards.

Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries
or illnesses that could occur while preparing meals and eating,
including burns and scalds, cuts, choking, and allergic reactions.

Describe how meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products,
and fresh vegetables should be stored, transported, and properly
prepared for cooking. Explain how to prevent cross-contamination.

Describe the following food-related illnesses and tell what
you can do to help prevent each from happening:

Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition
model, give five examples for EACH of the following food groups,
the recommended number of daily servings, and the recommended
serving size:

Fruits

Vegetables

Grains

Proteins

Dairy

Explain why you should limit your intake of oils and sugars.

Determine your daily level of activity and your caloric
need based on your activity level. Then, based on the MyPlate
food guide, discuss with your counselor an appropriate meal
plan for yourself for one day.

Discuss your current eating habits with your counselor and
what you can do to eat healthier, based on the MyPlate food
guide.

Do the following:

Discuss the following food label terms: calorie, fat, saturated
fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber,
sugar, protein. Explain how to calculate total carbohydrates
and nutritional values for two servings, based on the serving
size specified on the label.

Refer to "How to Read a Food Label" in the Cooking merit
badge pamphlet, and name ingredients that help the consumer
identify the following allergens: peanuts, tree nuts, milk,
eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish.

Do the following:

Discuss EACH of the following cooking methods. For each
one, describe the equipment needed and name at least one food
that can be cooked using that method: baking, boiling, pan frying,
simmering, steaming, microwaving, and grilling.

Discuss the benefits of using a camp stove on an outing
vs. a charcoal or wood fire.

Discuss how the Outdoor Code and no-trace principles pertain
to cooking in the outdoors.

Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model,
plan a menu for three full days of meals (three breakfasts, three
lunches, and three dinners) plus one dessert. Your menu should include
enough to feed yourself and at least one adult, keeping in mind
any special needs (such as food allergies) of those to be served.
List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these
meals. Then do the following:

Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount
of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost
for each meal.

Using at least five of the seven cooking methods from requirement
4, prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult (parent,
family member, guardian, or other responsible adult) one breakfast,
one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert from the meals you planned.*

Time your cooking to have each meal ready to serve at the
proper time. Have an adult verify the preparation of the meal
to your counselor.

After each meal, ask a person you served to evaluate the
meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal.
Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any
adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals.
Tell how better planning and preparation help ensure a successful
meal.

Explain how you kept perishable foods safe and free from
cross-contamination.

Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model,
plan a menu for your patrol or a similar size group of up to eight
youth, including you) for a camping trip. Include five meals AND
at least one snack OR one dessert. List the equipment and utensils
needed to prepare and serve these meals. Then do the following:

Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount
of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost
for each meal.

In the outdoors, cook two of the meals you planned in requirement
6 using either a lightweight stove or a low-impact fire. Use
a different cooking method for each meal.** The same fireplace
may be used for both meals. Serve this meal to your patrol or
a group of youth.

In the outdoors, cook one of the meals you planned in requirement
6.Use either a Dutch oven, OR a foil pack, OR kabobs. Serve
this meal to your patrol or a group of youth.**

In the outdoors, prepare a dessert OR a snack and serve
it to your patrol or a group of youth.**

After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal
on presentation and taste, and then evaluate your own meal.
Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any
adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals.
Tell how better planning and preparation help ensure successful
outdoor cooking.

Explain how you kept perishable foods safe and free from
cross-contamination.

Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model,
plan a menu for trail hiking or backpacking that includes one breakfast,
one lunch, one dinner, and one snack. These meals must not require
refrigeration and are to be consumed by three to five people (including
you). List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve
these meals. Then do the following:

Create a shopping list for your meals, showing the amount
of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost
for each meal.

Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with
your counselor. Your plan must include how to repackage foods
for your hike or backpacking trip to eliminate as much bulk,
weight, and garbage as possible.

While on a trail hike or backpacking trip, prepare and serve
two meals and a snack from the menu planned for requirement
7. At least one of those meals must be cooked over a fire, or
an approved trail stove (with proper supervision).**

For each meal prepared in requirement 7c, use safe food-handling
practices. Clean up equipment, utensils, and the site thoroughly
after each meal. Properly dispose of dishwater, and pack out
all garbage.

After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal
on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss
what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments
that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how better
planning and preparation help ensure successful trail hiking
or backpacking meals.

Find out about three career opportunities in cooking. Select
one and find out the education, training, and experience required
for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain
why this profession might interest you.

*The meals for requirement 5 may be prepared on different days, and
they need not be prepared consecutively. The requirement calls for Scouts
to plan, prepare, and serve one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner
to at least one adult; those served need not be the same for all meals.

**Where local regulations do not allow you to build a fire, the counselor
may adjust the requirement to meet the law. The meals in requirements
6 and 7 may be prepared for different trips and need not be prepared
consecutively. Scouts working on this badge in summer camp should take
into consideration foods that can be obtained at the camp commissary.

These changes took effect on July 15, 2013, when
they were released at the National Jamboree.

A new note was added before the requirements, replacing
a footnote. Requirements 1 and 5 were revised, and old requirements 6-9
were replaced with new requirements 6-7, and now feature options for either
road biking or mountain biking. There is an apparent a typo in requirement
7a3, as noted below. The revised requirements are shown below.

Note: The bicycle used for fulfilling these requirements
must have all required safety features and must be registered as required
by your local traffic laws.

Show that you know first aid for injuries
or illnesses that could occur while cycling, including hypothermia,
heat reactions, frostbite, dehydration, insect stings, tick bites,
snakebites, blisters, and hyperventilation.Do the following:

Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may
encounter while participating in cycling activities and what
you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond
to these hazards.

Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that
could occur while cycling, including cuts, scratches, blisters,
sunburn, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, hypothermia, dehydration,
insect stings, tick bites, and snakebite. Explain to your counselor
why you should be able to identify the poisonous plants and
poisonous animals that are found in your area.

Explain the importance of wearing a properly sized and fitted
helmet while cycling, and of wearing the right clothing for
the weather. Know the BSA Bike Safety Guidelines.

Show how to repair a flat by removing
the tire, replacing or patching the tube, and remounting the tire.
Use an old bicycle tire.

Describe your state's traffic laws for bicycles.
Compare them with motor-vehicle laws.Take a road test with your counselor and demonstrate
the following:

Properly mount, pedal, and brake including emergency stops.

On an urban street with light traffic, properly execute
a left turn from the center of the street; also demonstrate
an alternate left turn technique used during periods of heavy
traffic.

Properly execute a right turn.

Demonstrate appropriate actions at a right-turn-only lane
when you are continuing straight.

Show proper curbside and road-edge riding. Show how to safely
ride along a row of parked cars.

Cross railroad tracks properly.

7. Describe your state's traffic laws for bicycles.
Compare them with motor-vehicle laws. Know the bicycle-safety guidelines.
8. Avoiding main highways, take two rides of 10 miles each, two
rides of 15 miles each, and two rides of 25 miles each. You must
make a report of the rides taken. List dates, routes traveled, and
interesting things seen.*
9. After fulfilling requirement 8, lay out on a road map a 50-mile
trip. Stay away from main highways. Using your map, make this ride
in eight hours.

Using the BSA buddy system, complete all of
the requirements for ONE of the following options: road biking OR
mountain biking.

Option A - Road Biking

Take a road test with your counselor and demonstrate
the following:

Properly mount, pedal, and brake, including emergency
stops.

On an urban street with light traffic, properly
execute a left turn from the center of the street; also
demonstrate an alternate left-turn technique used during
periods of heavy traffic.

Properly execute a right turn.

Demonstrate appropriate actions at a right-turn-only
lane when you are continuing straight.

Show proper curbside and road-edge riding. Show
how to ride safely along a row of parked cars.

Cross railroad tracks properly.

Avoiding main highways, take two rides of 10 miles each,
two rides of 15 miles each, and two rides of 25 miles each.
You must make a report of the rides taken. List dates for
the routes traveled, and interesting things seen.

After completing requirement b for the road biking
option, do ONE of the following:

Lay out on a road map a 50-mile trip. Stay away
from main highways. Using your map, make this ride in
eight hours.

Participate in an organized bike tour of at least
50 miles. Make this ride in eight hours. Afterward,
use the tour's cue sheet to make a map of the ride.

Option B - Mountain Biking

Take a trail ride with your counselor and demonstrate
the following:

Properly mount, pedal, and brake, including emergency
stops.

Show shifting skills as applicable to climbs and
obstacles.

Show proper trail etiquette to hikers and other
cyclists, including when to yield the right-of-way.

Show proper technique for riding up and down hills.

Demonstrate how to correctly cross an obstacle by
either going over the obstacle on your bike or dismounting
your bike and crossing over or around the obstacle.

Cross rocks, gravel, and roots properly.

Describe the rules of trail riding, including how to
know when a trail is unsuitable for riding.

On trails approved by your counselor, take two rides
of 2 miles each, two rides of 5 miles each, and two rides
of 8 miles each. You must make a report of the rides taken.
List dates for the routes traveled, and interesting things
seen.

After fulfilling the previous requirement, lay out on
a trail map a 22-mile trip. You may include multiple trail
systems, if needed. Stay away from main highways. Using
your map, make this ride in six hours.

* The bicycle must have all required safety features.
It must be registered as required by your local traffic laws.

A minor change was made to requirement 3, and changes
were made to requirement 11, eliminating requirements 11e and 11f, which
required a Scout to demonstrate loping (cantering) a horse. The pamphlet
now states that the ability to lope or canter a horse is more than what
is required to earn the Horsemanship merit badge. Requirements 11g, 11h,
and 11i are now 11e, 11f, and 11g, as shown below.

Name four leading breeds
of horses. Explain the special features for which each breed is
known.

Lope (canter) the horse in a
straight line for at least 60 feet.f. Lope (canter) the horse in a half-circle
not more than 30 feet in radius.g. Halt straight.

Identify and demonstrate to your counselor
the safe use of leatherworking tools. Show correct procedures for
handling leathercraft dyes, cements, and finishes. Know first aid
for cuts, internal poisoning, and skin irritation.Do the following:

Explain to your counsel the hazards you
are most likely to encounter while using leatherwork tools and
materials, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent,
mitigate, or lessen these hazards.

Show that you know first aid for injuries
or illnesses that could occur while working with leather, including
minor cuts and scratches, puncture wounds, ingested poisoning,
and reactions from exposure to chemicals such as dyes, cements,
and finishes used in leatherworking.

A new merit badge pamphlet was released in 2013,
with revised requirements. The changes, however, were inadvertently omitted
from the 2014 Boy Scout Requirements booklet.

Changes were made to requirements 3d, 3h, 6, and
8. In addition, the aerobic fitness and strength test requirements were
changed, and the Body Composition Test measurements were replaced with a
calculation of the BMI percentile, as shown below.

Are your body weight and composition what you
would like them to be, and do you know how to modify them safely
through exercise, diet, and behavior modificationlifestyle?

Do you sleep well at night and wake up feeling
refreshed and energized forready to start the new day?

Before doing requirements 7 and 8, complete the aerobic
fitness, flexibility, and muscular strength
tests, andalong with the body composition
testsevaluation
as described in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet.
Record your results and identify those areas where you feel you
need to improve.

Complete the physical fitness program you outlined
in requirement 7. Keep a log of your fitness program activity (how
long you exercised; how far you ran, swam, or biked; how many exercise
repetitions you completed; your exercise heart rate; etc.). Repeat
the aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility tests every
two weeks and record your results. After the 12th week, repeat
all of the required activities in each of
the three teststest
categories, record your results, and show improvement in
each one. For the body composition testevaluation, compare and analyze your preprogram
and postprogram body composition measurements. Discuss the meaning
and benefit of your experience, and describe your long-term plans
regarding your personal fitness.

Aerobic Fitness Test

Run/walk as far as you can as fast as
you can in nine minutes

Strength TestsRecord your performance on all three tests.You must do the sit-ups exercise and one other
(either push-ups or pull-ups). You may also do all three for extra
experience and benefit.

Body Composition Test
Have your parent, counselor, or other adult take and record the
following measurements:

Circumference of the right upper arm,
midway between the shoulder and the elbow, with the arm hanging
naturally and not flexed.

Shoulders, with arms hanging by placing
the tape two inches below the top of the shoulders around the
arms, chest, and back after breath expiration.

Chest, by placing the tape under the arms
and around the chest and back at the nipple line after breath
expiration.

Abdomen circumference at the navel level
(relaxed).

Circumference of the right thigh, midway
between the hip and knee, and not flexed.

If possible, have the same
person take the measurements whenever you are ready to be remeasured
to chart your progress.

Body Composition Evaluation (Calculating Your BMI
percentile):

Step 1 - Multiply your weight in pounds by
703.

Step 2 - Divide the figure you get in No.
1 above by your height in inches.

Step 3 - Divide the figure you get in No.
2 above by your height in inches to get your BMI.

Step 4 - Use the chart in the Personal
Fitness merit badge pamphlet to determine the BMI percentile
for your age.

As an example, if you are 15 years old, you
weigh 130 pounds, and you are 5'8" (68") tall, then:

Requirement 1 was replaced, and changes were made
to requirements 2a, and 10, as shown below.

Show that you know first aid for injuries
or illness that could occur while working on pioneering projects,
including minor cuts and abrasions, bruises, rope burns, blisters,
splinters, sprains, heat and cold reactions, dehydration, and insect
bites or stings.Do the following:

Explain to your counselor the most likely
hazards you might encounter while participating in pioneering
activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent,
mitigate, and respond to these hazards.

Discuss the prevention of, and first aid
treatment for, injuries and conditions that could occur while
working on pioneering projects, including cuts, scratches, insect
bites and stings, rope burns, hypothermia, dehydration, heat
exhaustion, heatstroke, sunburn, and falls.

Do the following:

Successfully complete Tenderfoot requirements
4a and 4b and First
Class requirements 7a,
7b, and 7c8a.
(These are the rope-related requirements.)

With a group of Scouts, OR on your own, select a
pioneering project and get your counselor's approval
before you begin building. Your project must not result in anyone
reaching a height of greater than 6 feet off the ground.
With your counselor's guidance, create a rough sketch of the project.
Make a list of the ropes and spars needed, then build the project.
(Note: This requirement may be done at summer camp, at district
or council events, or on a troop camp outing.)

The various items specified in requirements 2 and
3 were rewritten and rearranged, as shown below.

Learn about the pulp and paper industry.

Describe the ways the industry plants,
grows, and harvests trees.

Explain how the industry manages its forests
so that the supply of trees keeps pace with the demand.

Tell how the industry has incorporated
the concepts of sustainable forest management (SFM).

Describe two ways the papermaking industry
has addressed pollution.

2. List the trees that are the major
sources of papermaking fibers. Then discuss what
other uses are made of the trees and of the forestland owned by
the pulp and paper industry. Describe the ways the industry plants,
grows, and harvests trees. Explain how the industry manages its
forests so that the supply of trees keeps pace with the demand,
and tell about one way the industry has incorporated a sustainable
forestry concept. Give two ways the papermaking industry has addressed
pollution.

Discuss what other uses are made of the
trees and of the forestland owned by the pulp and paper industry.

Describe two ways of getting fibers from
wood, and explain the major differences between them.

Tell why some pulps are bleached, and
describe the process.

3. Describe two ways of getting fibers from wood,
and explain the major differences. Tell why some pulps are bleached,
and describe this process.

A new option c was added to requirement 4 in September,
2013. The revision is shown below.

Visit an exhibit of Scouting
memorabilia or a local museum with a Scouting history gallery,
or (with your parent's permission and counselor's approval)
visit with someone in your council who is recognized as a dedicated
Scouting historian or memorabilia collector. Learn what you
can about the history of Boy Scouting. Give a short report to
your counselor on what you saw and learned.

Also, all cases of "muzzle-loading" in the requirements
were changed to "muzzleloading" (That change is NOT shown below.)

Option A

Identify and demonstrate the fundamentals of safely
shooting a shotgun. Explain what a misfire, hangfire, and squib
fire are, and explain the procedures to follow in response to
each.

Demonstrate how to clean a shotgun
properly and safely.

Shooting score required. - Hit at least 12 out
of 25 targets (48 percent) in two 25-target groups. The two
groups need not be shot in consecutive order. A minimum of 50 shots must be fired.

Shooting skill rules:

Targets may be thrown by a hand trap, manual mechanical
trap, or on any trap or skeet field.
Note: If using a hand trap or manual mechanical trap, the
trap operator should be at least 5 feet to the right and
3 feet to the rear of the shooter. If throwing left-handed
with a hand trap this should be reversed, the trap operator should be at least
5 feet to the left and 3 feet to the rear of the shooter..

All targets should be thrown at a reasonable speed and
in the same direction.

Targets should be generally thrown so as to climb in
the air after leaving the trap.

Scores may be fired at any time, either in formal competition
or in practice.

Any gauge shotgun not exceeding 12 gauge may be used.

Standard clay targets customarily
used for trap and skeet are to be used.

Any ammunition, either factory or
hand loaded, may be used.Only commercially manufactured ammunition
may be used. Reloads may not be used in BSA shooting sports
programs.

Shooters must shoot in rounds of 25. Rounds need not
be shot continuously or on the same day (the term "round"
refers to a single series of 25 shots).

If using a trap field, shoot station
3 with traps set to throw straightaway targets.

Identify the various grades of black powder and their proper
and safe use.

Identify proper procedures and accessories used
for safely loading a muzzleloading
shotgun.

Demonstrate the knowledge,
skillskills,
and attitude necessary to safely shoot a muzzleloading shotgun
on a range, including range procedures. Explain
what a misfire, hangfire, and squibfire are, and explain the
procedures to follow in response to each.

Identify the causes of a muzzleloading shotgun's
failingfailure
to fire and explain or demonstrate proper
correctionpreventive procedures.

Shooting score required. -- Hit at least 5 out
of 15 targets in each of two 15-target groups.
The two groups need not be shot in consecutive order. A minimum
of 30 shots must be fired.

Shooting skill rules:

Targets may be thrown by a hand trap, manual mechanical
trap, or on any trap or skeet field.
Note: if using a hand trap or manual mechanical trap, the
trap operator should be at least 5 feet to the right and
3 feet to the rear of the shooter. If throwing left-handed
with a hand trap this should be reversed., the trap operator should be at least
5 feet to the left and 3 feet to the rear of the shooter.

All targets should be thrown at a reasonable speed and
in the same direction.

Targets should be generally thrown so as to climb in
the air after leaving the trap.

Scores may be fired at any time, either in formal competition
or in practice.

Any gauge shotgun not exceeding 10 gauge may be used.

Standard clay targets customarily used for trap and
skeet are to be used.

On a standard trap field, the shooter
should be positioned 8 yards behind the trap house. The
trap should be set to throw only straightaway targets

Requirement 7 was replaced, a new requirement 8 was
added, requirements 8-10 were renumbered 9-11, and a minor change was made
to requirement 9a. The revisions are shown below.

Define acid rain. Identify which
human activities pollute the atmosphere and the effects such pollution
can have on people.Identify some human activities that can alter
the environment, and describe how they affect the climate and people.

Describe how the tilt of Earth's axis helps
determine the climate of a region near the equator, near the poles,
and across the area in between.

8. Do ONE of the following:

Make one of the following instruments: wind vane, anemometer,
rain gauge, hygrometer. Keep a daily weather log for one week
using information from this instrument as well as from other
sources such as local radio and television stations, NOAA Weather
Radio All Hazards, and Internet sources
(with your parent's permission). Record the following information
at the same time every day: wind direction and speed, temperature,
precipitation, and types of clouds. Be sure to make a note of
any morning dew or frost. In the log, also list the weather
forecasts from radio or television at the same time each day
and show how the weather really turned out.

Visit a National Weather Service office or talk with a local
radio or television weathercaster, private meteorologist, local
agricultural extension service officer, or university meteorology
instructor. Find out what type of weather is most dangerous
or damaging to your community. Determine how severe weather
and flood warnings reach the homes in your community.

9. Do ONE of the following:

Give a talk of at least five minutes to a group (such as
your unit or a Cub Scout pack) explaining the outdoor safety
rules in the event of lightning, flash floods, and tornadoes.
Before your talk, share your outline with your counselor for
approval.

Read several articles about acid rain and give a prepared
talk of at least five minutes about the articles to a group
(such as your unit or a Cub Scout pack). Before your talk, share
your outline with your counselor for approval.

10. Find out about a weather-related
career opportunity that interests you. Discuss with and explain
to your counselor what training and education are required for such
a position, and the responsibilities required of such a position.

Camp a total of at least 20 nights at designated Scouting
activities or events.* One long-term
camping experience of up to six consecutive nights may be applied
toward this requirement. Sleep each night under the sky or in
a tent you have pitched. If the camp provides a tent that has
already been pitched, you need not pitch your own tent.

*All campouts since becoming a Boy Scout or Varsity
Scout may count toward this requirement.

Research your family's history. Find out how various
events and situations in American history affected your family.
If your family immigrated to America, tell
the reasons why. Share what you find with your counselor.
Tell why your family came to America.

Requirements 1, 2, 7a, and 7b were revised. The revisions
are shown below.

Tell what archaeology is and explain how it differs from anthropology,
geology, paleontology, treasure hunting,
and history.

Describe each of the following steps of the archaeological process:
site location, development of a research design,
historical research, site excavation, artifact identification
and examination, interpretation, preservation, and information sharing.

Do ONE of the following:

Make a list of items you would include in a time capsule.
Discuss with your merit badge counselor what archaeologists
a thousand years from now might learn from
the contents of your capsule about you and the culture
in which you live based on the contents of
your capsule.

Make a list of the trash your family throws out during one
week. Discuss with your counselor what archaeologists
finding that trash a thousand years from now
might learn from it about you and your
family if they found your trash a thousand
years from now.

Changes were made to requirements 1e, 2c, and 4b.
Requirement 2e was deleted, causing 2f and 2g to be renumbered as 2e and
2f. The revisions are shown below. There is a typo in requirement 2f in
the 2014 Boy Scout Requirements booklet. When the requirements were renumbered,
they did not change the reference from 2f to 2e at the end of the requirement.

Explain the following: the sport
pilot, the recreational pilot and the private pilot certificates;
the instrument rating.

Obtain and learn how to read an aeronautical chart.
Measure a true course on the chart. Correct it for magnetic
variation, compass deviation, and wind drift.
Arrive atto determine a compass
heading.

On a map, mark a route for an
imaginary airline trip to at least three different locations.
Start from the commercial airport nearest your home. From timetables
(obtained from agents or online from a computer, with your parent's
permission), decide when you will get to and leave from all
connecting points. Create an aviation flight plan and itinerary
for each destination.f. Explain the purposes and functions
of the various instruments found in a typical single-engine
aircraft: attitude indicator, heading indicator, altimeter,
airspeed indicator, turn and bank indicator, vertical speed
indicator, compass, navigation (GPS and VOR) and communication
radios, tachometer, oil pressure gauge, and oil temperature
gauge.

g. Create an original poster of
an aircraft instrument panel. Include and identify the instruments
and radios discussed in requirement
2f2e.

Visit a Federal Aviation Administration facility
- a control tower, terminal radar control facility, air route
traffic control center, flight service station,
or Flight Standards District Office. (Phone directory listings
are under U.S. Government Offices, Transportation Department,
Federal Aviation Administration. Call in advance.) Report on
the operation and your impressions of the facility.

Minor changes were made to requirements 5 and 8.
The revisions are shown below.

Attend a public meeting (city council, school board,
debate) approved by your counselor where several points of view
are given on a single issue. Practice active listening skills and
take careful notes of each point of view. PresentPrepare an objective report that includes
all points of view that were expressed, and share this with your
counselor.

Plan a troop or crew court
of honor, campfire program, or interfaith worship service. Have
the patrol leaders' council approve it, then write the script and
prepare the program. Serve as master of ceremonies.

Compare the similarities and differences between
composites and wood, aluminum, copper, and steel. Explain the
physical, electrical, mechanical, corrosive, flammability, cost,
and other such properties. For each of these raw materials,
give one example forof how it can be shaped and used for
a specific application.

Changes were made to requirements 2, 3a, 3b, and
3d. The revisions are shown below.

Visit an agency that works with people with physical,
mental, emotional, or educational disabilities. Collect and read
information about the agency's activities. Learn about opportunities
its members have for training, employment, and education.
Discuss what you have learned with your counselor.

Do TWO of the following:

Talk to a Scout who has a disability and learn about his
experiences taking part in Scouting activities and earning different
merit badges. Discuss what you have learned
with your counselor.

Talk to an individual who has a disability and learn about
this person's experiences and the activities in which this person
likes to participate. Discuss what you have
learned with your counselor.

Learn about independent living aids such as service
animals, canes, and augmentative communication
devices such as teletypewriters (TTYs). Discuss with
your counselor how people use such aids.

The requirements were completely rewritten. The revised
requirements are shown below.

In your own words, define entrepreneurship. Explain to your
merit badge counselor how entrepreneurs impact the U.S. economy.

Explain to your counselor why having good skills in the following
areas is important for an entrepreneur: communication, planning,
organization, problem solving, decision making, basic math, adaptability,
technical and social skills, teamwork, and leadership.

Identify and interview an individual who has started a business.
Learn about this person's educational background, early work experiences,
where the idea for the business came from, and what was involved
in starting the business. Find out how the entrepreneur raised the
capital (money) to start the business, examples of successes and
challenges faced, and how the business is currently doing (if applicable).
Discuss with your counselor what you have learned.

Think of as many ideas for a business as you can, and write
them down. From your list, select three ideas you believe represent
the best opportunities. Choose one of these and explain to your
counselor why you selected it and why you feel it can be successful.

Create a written business plan for your idea that includes all
of the following:

Product or Service

Describe the product or service to be offered.

Identify goals for your business.

Explain how you can make enough of the product or perform
the service to meet your goals.

Identify and describe the potential liability risks
for your product or service.

Determine what type of license, if any, you might need
in order to sell or make your product or service.

Market Analysis

Identify the types of people who would buy your product
or service.

Identify your business's competitors, and describe their
strengths and weaknesses.

Describe what makes your product or service unique.

Financial

Determine how much money you will need to start your
business, and identify how you will obtain the money.

Determine the cost of offering your product or service
and the price you will charge in order to make a profit.

Describe what will happen with the money you make from
the sales of your product or service.

Personnel

Determine what parts of the business you will handle
yourself, and describe your qualifications.

Determine whether you will need additional help to operate
your business. If you will need help, describe the responsibilities
and qualifications needed for the personnel who will fill
each role.

Promotion and Marketing

Describe the methods you will use to promote your business
to potential customers.

Explain how you will utilize the Internet and social
media to increase awareness of your product or service.

Design a promotional flier or poster for your product
or service.

When you believe your business idea is feasible, imagine your
business idea is now up and running. What successes and problems
might you experience? How would you overcome any failures? Discuss
with your counselor any ethical questions you might face and how
you would deal with them.

Learn in English (or the language
you commonly speak at home or in the troop) an Indian story
of at least 25 words, or any number of shorter ones adding up
to 300 words. Tell the story or stories at a Scout meeting or
campfire.Learn an Indian story of up to 300 words (or
several shorter stories adding up to no more than 300 words).
Tell the story or stories at a Scout gathering or campfire.

A new requirement 3 was added. Old requirements 3-7
were renumbered as 4-8, and changes were made to requirements 4, and 8-Option
1-E3a. The revisions are shown below.

Explain how honeybees and other
pollinating insects are important to plant life.

3. Explain how water, light, air, temperature,
pollinators, and pests affect plants. Describe
the nature and function of soil and explain its importance. Tell
about the texture, structure, and composition of fertile soil. Tell
how soil may be improved.

4. Tell how to propagate plants by
seeds, roots, cuttings, tubers, and grafting. Grow a plant by ONE
of these methods.

5. List by common name at least 10
native plants and 10 cultivated plants that grow near your home.
List five invasive nonnative plants in your area and tell how they
may be harmful. Tell how the spread of invasive plants may be avoided
or controlled in ways that are not damaging to humans, wildlife,
and the environment.

6. Name and tell about careers in agronomy,
horticulture, and botany. Write a paragraph about a career in one
of these fields that interests you.

7. Choose ONE of the following options
and complete each requirement:

OPTION 1: AGRONOMY

Collect, count, and label samples of each for
display: perennial grasses, annual grasses, legumes,
and broadleaf weeds. Indicate how each grass and
legume is used. Tell the kind
ofKeep a log of the
site where you found each sample
and share it with your counselor.

Minor changes were made to a number of requirements,
and they were renumbered. The revisions are shown below.

Show that you know first aid for and how to
prevent injuries or illnesses that could occur while rowing, including
cold and heat reactions, dehydration, contusions, lacerations, and
blisters.
2. Do the following:

Identify the conditions that must exist
before performing CPR on a person. Explain how such conditions
are recognized.Explain to your counselor the most likely
hazards you may encounter while participating in rowing activities,
including weather- and water-related hazards, and what you should
do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these
hazards.

Demonstrate proper technique for performing
CPR using a training device approved by your counselor.Review prevention, symptoms, and first-aid
treatment for the following injuries or illnesses that can occur
while rowing: blisters, hypothermia, heat related illnesses,
dehydration, sunburn, sprains, and strains.

Review the BSA Safety Afloat policy. Explain
to your counselor how this applies to rowing activities.

3. Before doing the following requirements,
successfully complete the BSA swimmer test. Jump feet first into
water over your head in depth. Level off and swim 75 yards in a
strong manner using one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke,
breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy,
resting backstroke. The 100 yards must be completed in one swim
without stops and must include at least one sharp turn. After completing
the swim, rest by floating.

4. Review and discuss Safety Afloat and demonstrate
the proper fit and use of personal flotation devices (PFDs).Review the characteristics of life jackets most
appropriate for rowing and why one must always be worn while rowing.
Then demonstrate how to select and fit a life jacket.

5. Do ONE of the following:

Alone or with a passenger, do the following
correctly in either a fixed-seat or
sliding-seat rowboat:

Launch

Row in a straight line for a quarter
mile100 yards. Stop,
make a pivot
turn, and return to the starting point.

Backwater in a straight line for 5025 yards. Make a turn under way
and return to the starting point.

Participate as a rowing team member in a competitive rowing
meet. The team may be sponsored by a school, club, or Scout
unit. The meet must include competition between two or more
teams with different sponsors. Complete at least 10 hours of
team practice prior to the meet.

6. Do ONE of the following:

In a fixed-seat rowboat, come alongside a
dockpier
and help a passenger into the boat. Pull away from the
dockpier,
change positions with your passenger, and
scull in good formdemonstrate sculling
over the stern for 10 yards, including at
least one 180-degree turnor side.
Resume your rowing position, return alongside the pier, and
help your passenger out of the boat.

In a sliding-seat rowboat, come alongside a pier and, with
your buddy assisting you, get out onto the pier. Help your buddy
into the boat. Reverse roles with your buddy and repeat the
procedure.

7. Participate in a swamped boat drill,
including righting and stabilizing the craft, reboarding in deep
water, and making headway. Tell why you should stay with a swamped
boat.

8. Alone in a rowboat, push off from
the shore or a dockpier.
Row 1020 yards
to a swimmer. While giving instructions to the swimmer,
turnpivot the
boat so that the swimmer can hold onto the stern. Tow him to shore.
9. Show or explain the proper use of anchors for
rowboats.

10. Describe the following:

Types of craftscraft used in commercial, competitive,
and recreational rowing.

Four common boat building materials. Give some positive
and negative points of each.

Types of oarlocks used in competitive, and recreational
rowing.

11. Discuss the following:

The advantage of feathering oars while rowing

Precautions regarding strong winds and heavy waves, and
boat-handling procedures in rough water and windstorms.

How to properly fit out and maintain a boat in season, and
how to prepare and store a boat for winter

How to calculate the weight a boat can
carry under normal conditionsdetermine
the proper length of oars

The differences between fixed-seat and sliding-seat rowing

The different meanings of the term sculling in
fixed- and sliding-seat rowing

Complete the training for ICS-100,
Introduction to Incident Command System. Print out the certificate
of completion and show it to your counselor. Discuss with your counselor
how the ICS compares with Scouting's patrol method.Working with your counselor, become familiar with
the Incident Command System. You may use any combination of resource
materials, such as printed or online. Discuss with your counselor
how features of the ICS compare with Scouting's patrol method*

*Scouts who have already completed the original
requirement 5 as published in the current Search and Rescue merit badge
pamphlet need not redo this updated requirement in order to earn the
badge.

The requirements were changed by adding a new requirement
1d, and revised wording to requirements 5a,5c, 6a, and 7. The revisions
are shown below.

International relations and
cooperation

Discuss with your counselor an unmanneda robotic space exploration mission
and an early manneda historic crewed mission. Tell about
each mission's major discoveries, its importance, and what
wewas learned
from it about the planets, moons, or regions of space explored.

Design an unmanneda robotic mission to another planet
or moon that will return samples of its surface to Earth. Name
the planet or moon your spacecraft will visit. Show how your
design will cope with the conditions of the planet's or moon's
environment.

Space shuttle or any other crewed orbital
vehicle, whether government owned (U.S. or foreign) or commercial

Design an inhabited base located on the Moon
or Marswithin our solar system, such as
Titan, asteroids, or other locations that humans might want to explore
in person. Make drawings or a model of your base. In your
design, consider and plan for the following:

New requirements were published on Scouting.org in June, 2014. and a new edition of the Canoeing merit badge pamphlet was to be issued. The requirements were rearranged as follows,
and the wording of a number of them was revised:

Old requirements 1, 2, and 4 were replaced by new
requirements 1a - 1c.

Old requirement 7a-g became requirements 10a-g, and a new
requirement 10h was added.

Old requirement 8 became requirement 11.

Old requirement 9 became requirement 12, the introduction was
revised, and old requirement 9e was dropped.

Old requirement 10a was replaced with requirements 13a and 13b,
and 10b-10f became 13c-13g.

Scouts starting the badge during 2014 may use
either the old or new requirements. Those that start after December 31,
2014 must use the new requirements. The changes are as follows:

Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses
that could occur while canoeing, including hypothermia, heat reactions,
dehydration, insect stings, tick bites, and blisters.Do the following:

Explain to your counselor the most likely
hazards you may encounter while participating in canoeing activities
and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and
respond to these hazards.

Review prevention, symptoms, and first-aid
treatment for the following injuries or illnesses that could occur
while canoeing: blisters, cold-water shock and hypothermia, dehydration,
heat-related illnesses, sunburn, sprains, and strains.

Discuss the BSA Safety Afloat policy. Tell how it applies to
canoeing activities.

2. Do the following:

Identify the conditions that must exist before
performing CPR on a person. Explain how such conditions are recognized.

Demonstrate the proper technique for performing
CPR using a training device approved by your counselor.

3. Before doing the following requirements,
successfully complete the BSA swimmer test: Jump feetfirst into water
over the head in depth. Level off and swim 75 yards in a strong manner
using one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke,
trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke.
The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops and must include
at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating.4. Discuss the following:

The BSA Safety Afloat policy. Tell how it
applies to canoeing activities.

The most common weather and water-related
hazards encountered while canoeing and how to deal safely with each
one.

5. Do the following:

Name and point out the major parts of a canoe.

Describe how the length and shape of a canoe affect its performance.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different materials
used to make canoes.

Name and point out the parts of a paddle.
Explain the difference between a straight and bent-shaft paddle
and when each is best used.

Demonstrate how to correctly size a paddle
for a paddler in a sitting position and a kneeling position.

Name the different types of personal flotation
devices (PFDs), and explain when each type should be used.

Show how to properly fit and test a PFD of
correct size.

Discuss the general care and maintenance of
canoeing equipment.

Discuss what personal and group equipment
would be appropriate for a canoe camping trip. Describe how personal
and group equipment can be packed and protected from water.

Demonstrate how to load and secure equipment
in a canoe.

Using appropriate knots, demonstrate how to
secure a canoe to a rack on land, a vehicle, or a canoe trailer.

Do the following:

Name and point out the parts of a paddle.
Explain the difference between a straight and bent-shaft paddle
and when each is best used.

Demonstrate how to size correctly a paddle
for a paddler in a sitting position and a kneeling position.

Do the following:

Discuss with your counselor the characteristics
of life jackets most appropriate for canoeing and tell why a life
jacket must always be worn while paddling.

Demonstrate how to select and properly fit
the correct size life jacket.

Discuss with your counselor the general care and
maintenance of canoes, paddles, and other canoeing equipment.

Do the following:

Discuss what personal and group equipment
would be appropriate for a canoe camping trip. Describe how personal
and group equipment can be packed and protected from water.

Using the containers and packs from requirement
7a, demonstrate how to load and secure the containers and other
equipment in the canoe.

Using appropriate knots, including a trucker’s
hitch, tautline hitch, and bowline, demonstrate how to secure a
canoe to a vehicle or a trailer, or if these are not available,
a rack on land.

6. With a companion,
wearing the proper PFD and appropriately dressed for the weather and
water conditions, use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate
the following:

Safely carry and launch the canoe from a dock or shore (both,
if possible).

Safely land the canoe on a dock or shore (both, if possible)
and return it to its proper storage location.

Demonstrate kneeling and sitting positions in a canoe and explain
the proper use for each position.

Change places while afloat in the canoe.

In deep water, exit the canoe and get back
in without capsizing.

Capsize the canoe and demonstrate how staying
with a capsized canoe will support both paddlers.

Swim, tow, or push a swamped canoe 50 feet
to shallow water. In the shallow water, empty the swamped canoe
and reenter it.

In deep water, rescue a swamped canoe and
its paddlers by emptying the swamped canoe and helping the paddlers
safely reenter their boat without capsizing.

With a companion, use a properly equipped canoe
to demonstrate the following:

In deep water, exit the canoe and get back
in without capsizing.

Safely perform a controlled capsize of the
canoe and demonstrate how staying with a capsized canoe will support
both paddlers.

Swim, tow, or push a swamped canoe 50 feet
to shallow water. In the shallow water, empty the swamped canoe
and reenter it.

In deep water, rescue a swamped canoe and
its paddlers by emptying the swamped canoe and helping the paddlers
safely reenter their boat without capsizing.

7. With a companion, wearing the proper
PFD and appropriately dressed for the weather and water conditions,use a properly equipped canoe to
demonstrate the following paddling strokes as both a bow and stern paddler:

Forward stroke

Backstroke

Draw

Pushaway

Forward sweep

Reverse or back sweep
For stern paddling only:

J-stroke

Rudder stroke

8. Using the strokes in requirement 7,10, and in an order determined by your counselor, use a properly equipped canoe to
demonstrate the following tandem maneuvers while paddling on opposite
sides and without changing sides. Repeat after switching positions and
paddling sides:Each paddler must demonstrate these maneuvers in both the bow and stern and on opposite paddling sides:

Pivot or spin the canoe in either direction.

Move the canoe sideways or abeam in either direction.

Stop the canoe.

Move the canoe in a straight line for 50 yards.

9.Wearing the proper PFD and appropriately
dressed for the weather and water conditions,Use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate solo canoe
handling:

Launch from shore or a pier (both, if possible).

Using a single-blade paddle and paddling only on one side, demonstrate
proper form and use of the forward stroke, backstroke, draw stroke,
pushaway stroke, forward sweep, reverse or back sweep, and J-stroke, and rudder stroke.
Repeat while paddling on the other side.

While paddling on one side only, paddle a 50-yard course making
at least one turn underway and one reverse of direction Repeat while
paddling on the other side.

Make a proper landing at a dock or shore (both, if possible).
Store canoe properly (with assistance, if needed).

On May 8, 2014, revised requirements were announced
in the April/May 2014 Advancement News, along with a report that a new edition
of the Swimming merit badge pamphlet would be issued in time for the 2014
summer camp season. The requirements were rewritten and rearranged
as follows:

Before doing the following requirements, successfully
complete the BSA swimmer test: Jump feet first into water over the
head in depth. Level off and swim 75 yards in a strong manner using
one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke,
trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke.
The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops and must
include at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest
by floating.

(8b) Demonstrate your ability to jump
feetfirst into water over your head in depth, level off
and swim 25 feet on the surface, stop, turn sharply, resume
swimming, then return to your starting place.

(8c) Demonstrate water rescue methods
by reaching with your arm or leg, reaching with a suitable
object, and by throwing lines and objects. Explain why swimming
rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing
rescue is possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer
should avoid contact with the victim.

First Class rank requirements:

(9a) Tell what precautions should
be taken for a safe trip afloat.

(9b) Before doing the following requirements,
successfully complete the BSA swimmer test.
Jump feetfirst into water over your head in depth, swim
75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following
strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then
swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke. The 100
yards must be swum continuously and include at least one
sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating.

(9c) With a helper and a practice
victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer.
(The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from
shore in deep water).

Swim continuously for 150 yards using the following
strokes in good form and in a strong manner: front crawl or trudgen
for 25 yards, back crawl for 25 yards, sidestroke for 25 yards,
breaststroke for 25 yards, and elementary backstroke for 50 yards.

Demonstrate survival skills by jumping feetfirst
into deep water wearing clothes (shoes, socks, swim trunks, long
pants, belt, and long-sleeved shirt). Remove shoes and socks, inflate
the shirt, and show that you can float using the shirt for support.
Remove and inflate the pants for support. Swim 50 feet using the
inflated pants for support, then show how to reinflate the pants
while still afloat.Do the following:

Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching
with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and
by throwing lines and objects. Explain why swimming rescues
should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing rescue is
possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid
contact with the victim.

With a helper and a practice victim, show
a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. The practice victim
should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water.

Swim continuously for 150 yards using the
following strokes in good form and in a strong manner: front crawl
or trudgen for 25 yards, back crawl for 25 yards, sidestroke for
25 yards, breaststroke for 25 yards, and elementary backstroke for
50 yards.6. Do the following:

Float faceup
face up in a resting position for at least one minute.

Demonstrate survival floating for at least five minutes.

While wearing a properly fitted personal
floatation device (PFD)U.S. Coast
Guard–approved life jacket, demonstrate the HELP and
huddle positions. Explain their purposes.

Explain why swimming or survival floating will hasten the
onset of hypothermia in cold water.

7. In water over your head, but not
to exceed 10 feet, do each of the following:

Use the feetfirstfeet first method of surface diving
and bring an object up from the bottom.

Do a headfirst surface dive (pike or tuck), and bring the
object up again.

Do a headfirst surface dive to a depth of at least 5 feet
and swim underwater for three strokes. Come to the surface,
take a breath, and repeat the sequence twice.

8. Do ONE of the following:

Demonstrate snorkeling and scuba diving
knowledge:

Demonstrate selection and fit of mask,
snorkel, and fins; discuss safety in both pool and open-water
snorkeling.

Demonstrate proper use of mask, snorkel,
and fins for underwater search and rescue.

Describe the sport of scuba diving
or snorkeling, and demonstrate your knowledge of BSA policies
and procedures relating to that sport.

Racing form for 25 yards on one competitive
stroke (front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, or butterfly)

Racing turns for the stroke that you
chose in 8b(2), OR, if the camp facilities cannot accommodate
the racing turn, repeat 8b(2) with and additional stroke.

Describe the sport of competitive
swimming.

9. Following the guidelines set in
the BSA Safe Swim Defense, in water at least 7 feet deep*,
show a standing headfirst dive from a dock or pool deck. Show a
long shallow dive, also from the dock or pool deck.* If your state, city, or local community requires
a water depth greater than 7 feet, it is important to abide by that
mandate.

Explain the health benefits of regular aerobic
exercise, and discuss why swimming is favored as both fitness and
therapeutic exercise.10.Do the following:

Explain the health benefits of regular
aerobic exercise, and explain why many people today do not get
enough of the beneficial kinds of exercise.

Discuss why swimming is favored as both
a fitness and a therapeutic exercise.

Write a plan for a swimming exercise program
that will promote aerobic/vascular fitness, strength and muscle
tone, body flexibility, and weight control for a person of Scout
age. Identify resources and facilities available in your home
community that would be needed for such a program.

Discuss with your counselor the incentives
and obstacles for staying with the fitness program you created
in requirement 10c. Explain the unique benefits that could be
gained from this program, and discuss how personal health awareness
and self discipline would relate to your own willingness and
ability to pursue such a program.

The following requirements for this new aquatics
award were added to the booklet.

Review the BSA Safety Afloat policy. Explain to your instructor
how this applies to stand up paddleboarding.

Before fulfilling other requirements, successfully complete
the BSA swimmer test: Jump feet first into water over the head in
depth, level off, and begin swimming. Swim 75 yards in a strong
manner using one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke,
trudgen or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke.
The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops and must
include one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating.

Explain safety considerations for stand up paddleboarding in
the following environments: lake, moving water, whitewater, open
ocean, ocean surf.

Review the characteristics of life jackets most appropriate
for stand up paddleboarding and understand why one must always be
worn while paddling. Then demonstrate how to select and fit a life
jacket for stand up paddleboarding.

Describe the correct type of leash to wear in the appropriate
water venues.

Name and point out:

The major parts of a stand up paddleboard

The parts of a paddle for stand up paddleboarding

Discuss:

The different types of stand up paddleboards

How to correctly size and hold a paddle for stand up paddleboarding

Using a properly outfitted stand up paddleboard, demonstrate
the following:

How to safely carry a stand up paddleboard

How to safely paddle away from a dock or shoreline (on knees)

How to stand and balance on a board in the neutral position

How to appropriately fall off a board

How to remount the board

Forward stroke

Back stroke

Forward sweep

Reverse sweep

Draw stroke

One self-rescue technique—lay on your stomach and paddle
with your hands

The requirements for this certification were added
to the booklet. The requirements, which are extensive, were completely revised
in 2013. The requirements have not been reproduced here. Just follow
the link (click on the image or title above) to see them.

The information about these awards was changed by
deletion of the Heroism Award, which may be discontinued, pending a final
decision from the National Court of Honor. The information which was deleted
is shown below.

Heroism Award.

Has demonstrated heroism and skill in averting
serious injury or saving or attempting to save a life at minimum risk to self.

A few minor changes were made to the contact information for some of
the emblems.

Rather than list the changes here, see the Religious Emblems listing
for Boy Scouts (and Varsity Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts) on this site.
Just follow the link (click on the image or title above)
to see them.

This analysis was prepared as a service to Scouts and
Scouters nationwide
Paul S. Wolf
Secretary
US Scouting Service Project, Inc.

Printed copies of this document may be freely distributed
for use in the Scouting program,
so long as the source is acknowledged, but copying the information to another
web site is NOT authorized.

A PDF version of this document can be found and downloaded
by clicking here.

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